Business · Malaysia Bureau
US reopens Mexican cattle imports after year-long screwworm ban
The United States has cleared the way for cattle shipments from Mexico's Sonora state to resume through the Douglas, Arizona port, ending a trading suspension that lasted more than a year. The reopening marks the first phase of normalising livestock trade between the two countries following an outbreak of the parasitic pest.
LSN Malaysia ·
US agricultural authorities have begun allowing Mexican cattle to cross the border at Douglas, Arizona, as part of a gradual restoration of bilateral livestock commerce. The reopening follows a prolonged halt to imports triggered by the discovery of screwworm, a parasitic insect whose larvae infest living tissue in cattle and other animals.
The screwworm outbreak prompted US officials to suspend cattle imports from Mexico more than 12 months ago as a containment measure. The pest, which can cause severe economic losses to livestock producers, had not been detected in the United States for decades before the recent incidence, making the ban a significant protective measure for the domestic herds.
Sonora, one of Mexico's largest cattle-producing regions, was among the areas most affected by the import restrictions. The phased reopening of the Douglas crossing represents a critical step toward normalising trade flows that have faced considerable disruption.
US and Mexican agricultural officials have coordinated the resumption, which is expected to proceed in stages as both nations implement monitoring and certification protocols to prevent future outbreaks. The gradual approach allows authorities to verify that disease-control measures are effective before expanding trade volumes across other border crossings.